Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Step 6 of 10
Obtain School Approval (Step Descriptions)
Signatures

48

People who signed Lifewise's petition

State Law

Maryland is a
"No-Statute" state

Learn more about state laws.

Location Map Annapolis, MD 21401 Anne Arundel County
Lifewise Local Program Website Link (opens in a new tab)
District Poverty Rate 6.2% (data source)
Non-White Students 54.4% (data source)
NCES Link NCES District Info
Last Updated April 17, 2026
Maryland State Law

There is no state statute regulating released time for religious instruction, federal rulings still apply. "No-Statute" states function in theory the same way as "May-Law" states. School districts may create a policy allowing students to be released for religious study, or they may choose not to coordinate with released-time programs and require the students' legal guardians facilitate the process.
Read more about "May" and "Shall" state laws

States with no statute for released time religious instruction are treated like "may" states. Released time programs would need to request approval from the local school board. School districts should not allow a released time program to operate in the district without a specific released time policy.

The federal case laws that mandate how released time functions should be followed. Zorach vs Clauson states:

School districts in states without a statute mandating a released time policy can choose not to allow released time or to coordinate with religious organizations seeking to remove students from school during the school day.

School districts should always have a policy indicating whether they coordinate with released-time religious instruction programs. Not having a policy at all and leaving it up to the released time program should never be the operating standard. This will open the district up to misinterpretation of its intent.

It is suggested that parents approach the school board and request that a released time religious instruction policy be implemented, even before a religious program approaches the district.

This does not encompass all legal requirements, and other legal opinions may exist. Please use this as a guide only.

What Can My School District Do?

All school districts, regardless of whether they are required by law to allow released time, should implement good policy and be prepared for when a released time program may approach the district. The time to set the policy is before an active program is pressuring the district. Research polices the district can implement to protect teachers' and students' instruction time. Set polices that limit disruptions to students and the ability for proselytization to occur, impacting other students of faith or no faith. A more detailed write-up on school board policies can be read here.

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Schools in the District (126)
School Step Description Grades Period Signatures
Annapolis ElementaryStep 6 Obtain School Approval 283
Belle Grove ElementaryStep 6 Form a Steering Committee 283
Solley ElementaryStep 6 Form a Steering Committee 283
AACPS Virtual Academy Collect 50 Signatures
Annapolis HighStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Arnold ElementaryStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Brooklyn Park ElementaryStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Central ElementaryStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Chesapeake HighStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Crofton ElementaryStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Davidsonville ElementaryStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
George T. Cromwell ElementaryStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Jacobsville ElementaryStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Lake Shore ElementaryStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Macarthur MiddleStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Monarch Academy Collect 50 Signatures
Monarch Academy Annapolis EsStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Northeast HighStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Pasadena ElementaryStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Severna Park HighStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Severna Park MiddleStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
South River HighStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
South Shore ElementaryStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Traceys ElementaryStep 6 Collect 50 Signatures 283
Annapolis MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Anne Arundel Evening HighStep 6 No Progress 283
Arundel HighStep 6 No Progress 283
Arundel MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Belvedere ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Benfield ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Bodkin ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Broadneck ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Broadneck HighStep 6 No Progress 283
Brock Bridge ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Brooklyn Park MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Cape St. Claire ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Carrie Weedon Early Education Center No Progress
Center of Applied Technology-NorthStep 6 No Progress 283
Center of Applied Technology-SouthStep 6 No Progress 283
Central MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Central Special SchoolStep 6 No Progress 283
Chesapeake Bay MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Chesapeake Science Point No Progress
Corkran Middle SchoolStep 6 No Progress 283
Crofton High SchoolStep 6 No Progress 283
Crofton Meadows ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Crofton MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Crofton Woods ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Deale ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Eastport ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Edgewater ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Ferndale Early Education Center No Progress
Folger Mckinsey ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Fort Smallwood ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Four Seasons ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Freetown ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
George Fox MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Georgetown East ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Germantown ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Glen Burnie HighStep 6 No Progress 283
Glen Burnie Park ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Glendale ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Hebron - Harman ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
High Point ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Hillsmere ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Hilltop ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Jessup ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Jones ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Lindale MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Linthicum ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Lothian ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Magothy River MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Manor View ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Marley ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Marley Glen SchoolStep 6 No Progress 283
Marley MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Mary Moss at Adams AcademyStep 6 No Progress 283
Maryland City ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Mayo ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Meade Heights ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Meade HighStep 6 No Progress 283
Meade MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Millersville ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Monarch Global Academy Pcs Laurel CampusStep 6 No Progress 283
Nantucket ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
North County HighStep 6 No Progress 283
North Glen ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Oak Hill ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Oakwood ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Odenton ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Old Mill HighStep 6 No Progress 283
Old Mill Middle NorthStep 6 No Progress 283
Old Mill Middle SouthStep 6 No Progress 283
Overlook ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Park ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Pershing Hill ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Phoenix AcademyStep 6 No Progress 283
Piney Orchard ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Point Pleasant ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Quarterfield ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Richard Henry Lee ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Ridgeway ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Rippling Woods ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Riviera Beach ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Rolling Knolls ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Ruth Parker Eason SchoolStep 6 No Progress 283
Seven Oaks ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Severn ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Severn River MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Severna Park ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Shady Side ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Shipley's Choice ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Southern HighStep 6 No Progress 283
Southern MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Southgate ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Studio 39Step 6 No Progress 283
Sunset ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Tyler Heights ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Van Bokkelen ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Walter S. Mills - Parole ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Waugh Chapel ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
West Annapolis ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
West Meade Early Education CenterStep 6 No Progress 283
Wiley H. Bates MiddleStep 6 No Progress 283
Windsor Farm ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
Woodside ElementaryStep 6 No Progress 283
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Launch Steps History
Step
Description
Signatures
Date
Step 6
Obtain School Approval
48
April 17, 2026
 
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